The players with the most appearances in Champions League history
- Cristiano Ronaldo tops both the Champions League appearances and goals charts
- Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Sergio Ramos among those still adding to their tallies
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Buffon racked up massive hauls without winning the competition
By Tom Gott
Every player dreams about making just one appearance in the Champions League. It's the pinnacle of European football and perhaps the most challenging competition to win in club football.
Across the years, we've seen plenty of superstar names rack up the appearances in the Champions League, with some going on to record eyewatering totals - an honour reserved for the best of the best.
Here's a look at the 25 top appearance makers in the competition's history.
25. Paolo Maldini - 116
Maldini made a bulk of his appearances in Europe before the competition's rebranding in 1992. Nonetheless, the stout Italian defender is a five-time European Cup/Champions League winner and one of few to spend over two decades with one club.
The all-time Milan great racked up 116 Champions League appearances during his illustrious career.
24. David Alaba - 117
There's still time for Alaba to add to his haul, although the Austrian has been sidelined by an ACL injury which meant he missed out on Real Madrid's 2024 Champions League success.
The Austrian international has been a star for a decade for two of the continent's most dominant outfits in Bayern Munich and Madrid. He got over the line with Bayern at Wembley in 2013 and has added a couple more trophies to his haul in the Spanish capital.
23. Xabi Alonso - 119
Alonso performed under Jose Mourinho at Madrid and Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, yet the Spaniard only has two Champions League titles to his name.
The midfielder was part of the Liverpool team that fought back from 3-0 down in Istanbul to stun a star-studded Milan team in the 2005 final. Alonso scored the equaliser that night before the Reds won on penalties. His later success came with Carlo Ancelotti at Los Blancos in 2014.
22. Pepe - 120
The brutish centre-back continued to manifest his brilliance into his 40s after returning to Porto.
Pepe hung up his boots in 2024 having appeared 120 times in UEFA's premier club competition, the bulk of which arrived with Madrid. He lifted the trophy three times between 2014 and 2017.
21. Roberto Carlos - 120
Fondly remembered as one of the greatest left-backs ever seen, Roberto Carlos finished his career with 120 outings in the Champions League.
The vast majority of those came with Real Madrid, but 13 were picked up during an oft-forgotten spell with Fenerbahce between 2007 and 2009.
20. Robert Lewandowski - 120
Lewandowski is also one of the Champions League's most prolific performers, and it was his goals that helped Bayern Munich to European glory in 2019/20.
Now at Barcelona, the Pole has his work cut out if he's to add another Champions League trophy to his cabinet. He should climb up the appearance-makers table by the time he calls it quits, though.
19. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 124
Nobody on this list has turned out for more clubs in the Champions League than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has represented no fewer than seven sides.
Across his time with Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG and Manchester United he racked up a huge number of appearances, but never won the competition.
18. Gianluigi Buffon - 124
Gianluigi Buffon knows all about setting records, but he's not going to make it anywhere near the top of these standings.
Having called it quits on a career in 2023, the legendary shot-stopper ended with 124 appearances in Europe's top competition, reaching several finals without turning out on the winning side.
17. Paul Scholes - 124
Given a baptism of fire in the Champions League, Paul Scholes' debut came in a 2-2 draw against Barcelona in the 1994 group stage.
He ended his career at United having racked up 24 goals and ten assists in 124 European outings.
16. Clarence Seedorf - 125
Clarence Seedorf's first taste of life in the Champions League came in the 1994/95 season, in which he played every game en route to winning the whole thing.
A move to Real Madrid followed, before he found himself at AC Milan in 2002, and by the time he left the competition in 2012 he had amassed an impressive 125 outings.
15. Gerard Pique - 128
A Barcelona legend, Gerard Pique's first taste of European football actually came with Manchester United, for whom he managed three appearances (and two goals) across 2004/05 and 2007/08.
He returned to Barcelona in 2008 and has since gone on to rack up 128 appearances in Europe's top competition.
14. Luka Modric - 128
Modric's first taste of the Champions League arrived with Tottenham in 2010/11 as the Lilywhites reached the quarter-finals amid a memorable journey.
After departing for Real Madrid in 2012, Modric has gone on to win the Champions League six times, often playing a starring role in the middle of the park. The genius Croat is defying father time, and he may yet add more winners' medals to his cabinet.
13. Sergio Busquets - 129
The metronome at the base of Barcelona's midfield, Sergio Busquets has enjoyed plenty of glory during his time at Camp Nou.
The Spaniard has grasped the famous trophy three times in his career, but his decision to move to Miami means he won't be adding a fourth to his cabinet.
12. Andres Iniesta - 130
Andres Iniesta's Champions League debut came in a 1-0 win over Club Brugge in 2002, and he'd go on to rack up 130 appearances before calling time on his Barcelona career.
In 2018, he jetted off to Japan, where he came close to lifting the AFC Champions League two years later.
11. Manuel Neuer - 140
Manuel Neuer's Champions League career actually kicked off in 2007 when he was still on the books at Schalke. He managed 22 appearances across two seasons, reaching the quarter-final and the semi-final, before taking his talents to Bayern Munich.
Since heading to the Allianz Arena, Neuer has established himself as one of the game's top stoppers, winning two Champions Leagues and eyeing one or two more before he starts to wind down.
10. Sergio Ramos - 142
Sergio Ramos had hoped to continue climbing up these rankings in the white of Real Madrid, but he instead departed Los Blancos in favour of Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
The four-time Champions League winner managed 129 appearances for Real and he added to his tally with Sevilla having departed the French capital.
9. Raul - 142
Raul's return of 71 goals in 142 Champions League appearances (a perfect one-in-two ratio) was a record in the competition before some superstars who might get a mention later came along and smashed it out the park.
For mere mortals, it's an unreal return and one which is fitting of a three-time winner.
8. Ryan Giggs - 145
Between 1993 and 2014, Ryan Giggs racked up a huge 145 Champions League appearances for Manchester United.
He would have been far higher up these standings had United not surprisingly crashed out in the group stage in both 2005 and 2011... but he did win the trophy twice, so he probably doesn't care.
7. Xavi - 151
Xavi pulled the strings in the Champions League for Barcelona between 1998 and 2015, ending his career with 11 goals and 32 assists in 151 European appearances.
More importantly, he lifted the trophy four times, making him one of the most successful players in the competition's history.
6. Toni Kroos - 151
A Champions League winner with Bayern Munich in 2012/13, most of Toni Kroos' success in the competition has come with Real Madrid.
The German veteran has five European titles to his name during his time in Spain and he fittingly bowed out at Wembley having helped Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 showpiece event.
5. Thomas Muller - 151
The man for the big occasion, Thomas Muller has had some ridiculous Champions League campaigns for Bayern Munich.
Both 2012/13 and 2015/16 yielded eight goals for the German, who has lifted the trophy twice so far.
4. Karim Benzema - 152
One of the best to ever do it in the Champions League, Karim Benzema is towards the top of the charts in both goalscoring and appearances.
Across his time with Lyon and Real Madrid, he boasts a goal record better than one every two games. His 2021/22 campaign will live long in the memory.
3. Lionel Messi - 163
Lionel Messi has plenty of European records, but one which evades him is the most appearances in the competition.
He managed 149 for Barcelona and added another 14 for Paris Saint-Germain before jetting off to Inter Miami. Messi triumphed three times at Barcelona, but his PSG side twice fell disappointingly short.
2. Iker Casillas - 177
Few players have tasted the same kind of success in the Champions League as Iker Casillas.
The legendary former shot stopper managed 177 appearances in the competition for both Real Madrid and Porto, winning no fewer than three titles for good measure.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo - 183
The competition's leading goalscorer, Cristiano Ronaldo has added another record to his CV by becoming the leading appearance maker in Champions League history.
Introduced to the tournament in 2003, Ronaldo was a dominant force in this competition during his time at Real Madrid, but it's unlikely he'll be adding any more appearances to his current record having ditched Europe in favour of the Saudi Pro League.
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